Choice

Chapter 6

I blink rolling over in bed listening to the obsessive beep of my phone alarm. I attempt to reach out, but my hand is instead greeted by the small white piece of paper. I blink gripping the paper opening it and read it out “stay off the shit and get clean - TALMON.”  I crumple the small piece of paper and roll over eyeing my alarm, the glass with no water and blink reaching out for my pill bottle. 

I sigh noting the emptiness and curse to myself “son of a bitch.” I reach out clicking my phone alarm off and lay my head back mumbling “fucking Talmon!”  I sigh closing my eyes, but groan out hearing my phone go off. I reach out blind feeling around for my phone and finally grip it placing it to my ear as I whisper “Reynolds.” I nod as if the person on the other end can see “who’s the vic?” I sit up quickly “wait, repeat that?” I nod still pretending as if the person can see my actions “okay, no, I want to be the one. I’m on my way over now.”

I walk into the coroner’s office and flash my badge “Detective Reynolds, I’m here.” I turn towards a voice and am greeted by my partner “Amanda.” I nod and follow him into double doors and down a long hallway “our vic is male, 21 years old, his name is Victor Urns.” We stop as we come to two doors and he turns back to me “I’m not going to lie, it’s not pretty, he got messed up bad. Whoever he made angry didn't hold back any, but I think you’re going to want to see this.” We step in and the coroner nods to us. My partner motions to the body with a blanket draped over it. He nods to the coroner “show her.” The coroner slowly lowers the drape revealing a familiar young man beaten, torn to shreds, mutilated to the point of barely being recognizable.” I nod “yea, so what am I seeing?”  My partner turns to me “his eyes.” I nod “he doesn't have any.” He nods looking to me “exactly.”

The coroner holds out the file “take a look.” I open it reading over and stop “is this?” The man nods “his own doing, he carved that girls name into his arms, both of them. The eyes though I’m pretty sure he didn't do that, the time of death is around two yesterday afternoon.” I look down questioning “two?” The coroner nods “yes, why?” I look to my partner “he was in police custody yesterday.” My partner looks to me “you sure?” I nod “yes, I was there during the arrest he tried to kill himself in front of Marbourne high school.” My partner looks to me “Amanda?” I look down and hear him “who arrested him?” I shake my head “Richie Talmon, but there’s no way he did this.”

 My partner raises an eyebrow looking over the deceased 21 year old “you sure Amanda?” He turns to me “ are you really sure? you willing to bet your badge?” I look down “he’s been through hell, let me talk to him I can find out information. You look over the arrest records from yesterday see if he submitted paperwork. He’s a by the book kid comes from a family of military police.” My partner nods looking over his notes “I need to check up on the video evidence anyway should be back by now. If you suspect any type of danger you don’t stick around Amanda.” I blink looking over the young man those gouged eyes, cut skin and feel my head pound as a reminder of lack of oxycodone. I hear my partner “Amanda?” I turn to him and he nods “back away if there are any holes in his story, any, don’t push him.” I nod understanding, “I won’t…”

I walk up to the café and eye Richie Talmon sitting at his usual spot in dead center of the small café. I walk up and he glances to me raising his paper cup “Detective?” I laugh pulling out a chair and hear Richie yell back to the woman behind the counter “Deb be a sweetheart get my friend Reynolds some coffee, on me.” He raises his cup again and takes a small sip.  As he does the young woman comes out from behind the counter and taps him on the shoulder “it’s on the house Talmon.”  I watch Talmon glance at her as she turns and his eyes stay fixed on her as if tracing her figure as she walks away. 

I clear my throat and he turns back smiling to me “it’s the uniform, always gets em.” I sigh getting out what I need “we need to talk.” He raises an eyebrow intrigued by my firm stance “oh, you in trouble?” I shake my head “no.” He shrugs “haven’t thrown your life down the drain yet detective?” I lean forward feeling my headache kick in and hear Richie laugh “hard detoxing huh?” I glance down at my steaming coffee and bite my lip trying to put things into place as I question “what happened yesterday?” I grip my coffee bringing it to my lips and hear him laugh “we hashed out the past, made amends. I’m pretty sure you said something along the lines of the past is the past right Mandy?” I shake my head as I place the coffee down “not last night Talmon, yesterday after I left you with Victor Urns…” 

I glance up studying him as he brings his hands to his collar unbuttoning it. As he lets his hand drop I eye them over noting the broken skin and watch as he drags it under the table away from my view. I state the obvious “your knuckles look pretty bad Talmon been beating on someone?” He laughs “broke up a pretty bad bar fight last night at the pool hall. Some crazy fool tried to break a pool stick over my head maybe I lost my temper, a bit.” I watch him bring his hand up eyeing his knuckles “but it was by the book Mandy you know me.” I shake my head disagreeing “Talmon.” He laughs “should I get a lawyer Mandy?” I look up “do you think you should?” He shrugs sitting back in his chair “you tell me obviously something happened, so tell me? Why am I being prodded like some Ginny pig, by my own people? We’re on the same team Mandy. I’m not the same kid I was back then.”

I look down and he laughs “what happened last night we made amends I thought the past was the past?” I look up “it was till today.” I feel him place his hand over mine and I take it away from him hearing him sigh “what changed? Last night you were pretty comfy with me maybe we can take a walk and I can remind you?” I look up staying firm “Victor Urns is dead.” I watch him sit back looking down at his half cup of coffee “oh.” I glance up studying his emotionless expression “was it you Richie?” He laughs “you know me Mandy.” I shake my head “I haven’t known you since high school Richie and you weren't exactly an upstanding guy then.” He laughs “come on Mandy I was a kid then okay maybe I got fresh with a girl or two, but I was 16, had no role models around. My parents were always away, I was stupid then, but murder?”

I glance up, studying him as he leans across the table “I didn't do anything to Victor Urns.” I lean forward “then what happened Talmon?” He sits back “I let him go after you left I released him from his cuffs. I felt bad for him he’s a young guy just 21 and I felt responsible.” I turn my head sideways studying his frown form as he wipes his eyes “she was my sister Amanda. I let myself get personal about it. I felt responsible for that guy thinking he needed to kill himself.” I lean forward “why, it wasn't your fault?” He shakes his head laughing “it was, I was her brother and even if I was younger I still could have tried to do something. Instead I just went along partying, acting stupid, getting into trouble, she was always there for me, always, and the one time she needed me.” 

He stops looking down rubbing his eyes with his sleeve “Amanda I didn't hurt Victor, I let him go. I saw the look on his face he didn't want to hurt himself, not anymore, it was a waste bringing him in.”  I sit back “that wasn't your call.” He nods “I know I screwed up, but I didn't kill Victor! Why would I want to hurt someone especially someone effected by my own sister?” I shake my head not knowing the answer “I don’t know.” He laughs “that’s because I’m innocent! Obviously this psycho is trying to frame me making us turn against each other.”

I feel his hand brush against mine and look up eyeing his crooked smile “I’m no killer Mandy he’s just playing you, bringing your view away from the important victim.” I raise an eyebrow “you saying Victor Urns isn't important?” He shakes his head “no, it’s just Victor, he.” I look up to Talmon as he stops what he is saying and study him as he glances around the room and leans towards me “look, there’s something I need to tell you but not here can we go somewhere and talk?” I glance up studying his expression its firm and serious, but it’s an expression that is hiding something, something important. I sigh, nodding in agreement and follow Talmon out of the cafe.